Li Huaqiang

Biodata

Name	Li Huaqiang (李华强)
Alias(es)	Upper Nine
Species/Race	Human; later reborn in a Pseudo-Human body 304
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Pursuit Organization, Ninth Seat; subordinate of Zhou Kai 230 306
Occupation/Role	Dream Demon Walker; director of the School Hospital 222 304
Status	Alive; reborn after the destruction of his original body 304
First Appearance	211

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Third Realm Dream Demon Walker	240	Already recognized as a Third Realm Walker when Zhou Kai accepts his offer of assistance for the Laier mission.
First-generation Fungal Offspring host	220	Swallows Zhou Kai's Ninth Offspring; his consciousness is backed up in the Prototype Hive Mind, binding him to Zhou Kai's fungal network.
Pseudo-Human rebirth	304	After dying within Purple Yin Mountain, receives a Pseudo-Human body modeled on his former appearance and retains his Fungal Offspring.
Fourth-Realm-level combat capability	306	Reintegrates the Divine Stride Spirit Elixir and cultivates the Blood Union Rebirth Elixir; can contend with a newly advanced Fourth Realm Pictograph Martial Artist for over a hundred exchanges.

Background

Li Huaqiang was an independent Dream Demon Walker whose initial Nightmare was Purple Yin Mountain. Within its Shrine, he discovered the Precious Proclamation of the True Lord of the Upper Nine and an Elixir Scripture concealed in incense ash. He survived by making offerings to the Shrine, including sacrificing an arm for his first Corpse Incense. 227 301

Following the Elixir Scripture's method, Li guided Dream Demon power into his brain and refined his pineal gland into a Divine Stride Elixir. The process granted him Divine Stride Elixir Qi, but enlarged his head, caused his hair to fall out, and repeatedly erased memories concerning the Scripture. 228 302

When his lost memories return, Li learns that the Elixir Scripture was designed to turn him into a completed human elixir for another being to consume. Rather than abandon the path, he agrees to continue refining the elixir under Zhou Kai's supervision, trading its original danger for the prospect of greater power. 302

Appearance

Li Huaqiang's original body was visibly distorted by the Divine Stride Elixir. He was powerfully built, but his oversized head was approximately as wide as his waist, giving him an unnatural, monstrous silhouette. 211

• His original head continually enlarged as the elixir developed, while his black hair fell out completely. 228
• After practicing the Dragon Gate Secret Art, he compresses his Divine Stride Elixir Qi enough to return his head to roughly normal proportions; faint hair begins growing back. 281
• His Pseudo-Human body resembles his original appearance but can evoke an uncanny feeling when ordinary people stare at it. 304
• At No Pursuit Inn, he manifests with an ordinary but cold, stiff-looking face and two orbiting Elixir Pellets connected by mycelium. 306

Personality

Li Huaqiang is survival-oriented, opportunistic, and initially prone to flattery. When he first seeks Zhou Kai's protection, he offers Corpse Incense and carefully abandons his earlier schemes once he recognizes the scale of the danger. 209

He is also talkative, anxious, and theatrically self-serving. He fears being killed after learning too much about Zhou Kai's secrets, immediately tries to buy his life with valuables, then willingly accepts fungal implantation when he realizes it gives him a path to renewed life and power. 220

Despite his cowardice, Li becomes sincerely loyal after repeatedly witnessing Zhou Kai's strength. He supports Zhou in battle, volunteers for missions, and treats dangerous gambles as opportunities rather than reasons to retreat. 217 231 307

Abilities & Skills

Divine Stride Elixir Qi

Li's primary power comes from a spiritual elixir refined within his brain. It is a controllable form of Dream Demon power obtained through the Elixir Scripture. 228

• Lightens Zhou Kai's body and increases his movement speed when used as support. 212
• Reduces gravity sufficiently for high-speed aerial movement when paired with Zhou Kai's charges. 213
• Can form an independent space and wrap allies in Elixir Qi for travel. 238 240
• Its original cultivation caused severe physical alteration and memory loss. 228 302

Erosion Resistance

Li uses religious and alchemical methods tied to Purple Yin Mountain to endure Nightmare Erosion.

• Corpse Incense produces smoke that offsets Nightmare Erosion; its effectiveness is far greater within Purple Yin Mountain than in reality. 209 301
• Reciting the Precious Proclamation of the True Lord of the Upper Nine visibly weakens the Erosion surrounding him. 227
• His Shrine functions as a Sanctuary within Purple Yin Mountain, with incense smoke forming its protective boundary. 301

Fungal Offspring

After consuming Zhou Kai's Ninth Offspring, Li becomes part of the Prototype Hive Mind. 220

• Maintains long-distance mental communication with Zhou Kai through fungal sensory links. 214 230
• Possesses a backup of his consciousness within the Hive Mind. 220
• His first-generation status gives him authority above lower-ranking fungal hosts, though their thoughts are shielded from him. 226

Pseudo-Human Body and Spirit Elixirs

Li's reborn body is a Pseudo-Human vessel carrying both the Divine Stride Spirit Elixir and Blood Union Rebirth Elixir. 304 306

• Can manipulate his paired Elixir Pellets as naturally as his own limbs. 307
• The Pseudo-Human body's innate Delusion Corpse Pact enhances and fuses aberrant Dream Demon powers. 307
• His combined body and elixirs allow him to withstand or contest newly advanced Fourth Realm martial artists. 306 307

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Corpse Incense — Shrine-linked incense that mitigates Nightmare Erosion. 209 301
• Precious Proclamation of the True Lord of the Upper Nine — incomplete sacred text recovered from Shrine ash; suppresses Erosion when recited. 227
• Spirit Tablet — reward issued by Earth Spirit after completing the Ronan interception mission; bears Li's real name. 239
• Multi-Eyed Glass Sword — weapon entrusted to him by Zhou Kai for an external mission. 307
• [Gate] — emergency item that allows Zhou Kai to arrive instantly if Li cannot defeat an opponent. 307

Relationships

• Zhou Kai — superior, benefactor, and fungal-network controller. Zhou saves Li repeatedly, grants him a consciousness backup and new body, and entrusts him with independent missions. 209 220 304 307
• Aurora — fellow subordinate and combat companion; they stand as Zhou Kai's paired guards during the Gotham City confrontation. 240 254
• Earth Spirit — leader associated with No Pursuit Inn who assigns Li missions and issues Pursuit rewards. 230 231 239
• Yin Mountain Python — provides Li with the method for completing and strengthening his Divine Stride spiritual elixir. 304

Story Role / Major Arcs

Haunted School Nightmare

Li approaches Zhou Kai as a civilian Dream Demon Walker and requests cooperation within the Haunted School Nightmare. He contributes Corpse Incense, supports Zhou against the Chef, and uses Divine Stride Elixir Qi to lessen Zhou's weight and improve his speed. 209 212 213

After Zhou destroys the Principal, Li becomes convinced of his overwhelming power. He accepts the Ninth Offspring, becoming Zhou Kai's subordinate in exchange for security, power, and the possibility of rebirth. 220

Pursuit Organization

Using the codename Upper Nine, Li attends gatherings at No Pursuit Inn as the Ninth Seat. He accepts Earth Spirit's mission to intercept and kill Ronan, relying on Zhou Kai's strength to complete it and receive a spirit tablet and divination draw as rewards. 230 231 239

He helps Zhou investigate the strange hands perceived behind Zhou's head and later accompanies him on the expedition to Laier. 240

Purple Yin Mountain and Rebirth

Zhou enters Purple Yin Mountain to free Li from his initial Nightmare's anchoring. There, Li's suppressed memories reveal that the Elixir Scripture is an elixir-nucleus scheme intended to refine him into a consumable spiritual elixir. 300 302

Li dies when his Nightmare-side body is destroyed, causing his real-world body to collapse into dust. Zhou then transfers his consciousness into a Pseudo-Human body and appoints him director of the School Hospital. 304

After restoring his Divine Stride Spirit Elixir and cultivating the Blood Union Rebirth Elixir, Li returns to No Pursuit Inn substantially stronger. Zhou later equips him with the Multi-Eyed Glass Sword and [Gate] for a mission against Martial Sect remnants. 306 307

Notable Quotes

“No child cries every day, and no gambler loses every hand. Maybe this time, I'll win big.” 231

“Boss, you have to live to a hundred! No, a thousand! Ten thousand! Ten thousand times ten thousand years!” 220

Trivia

• Li describes himself as a gambler and treats dangerous missions as high-stakes bets. 231
• He claims he was once one of the best-looking men in his hometown before refining the Divine Stride Elixir altered his appearance. 228
• Before becoming a Dream Demon Walker, he worked as a veterinarian and later cites this as relevant experience for handling spiritual elixirs. 304